Indy 500 start time, TV blackout lifted, pre-race activities

The 2024 Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to start Sunday afternoon, after a delay of several hours due to rain.

The race was originally scheduled for 12:45 p.m. ET, but officials at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced a delay in anticipation of bad weather, which arrived around 12:45 p.m. and lasted about an hour.

IMS is sending trucks and track dryers to the 2.5-mile oval, and IMS President Doug Boles said he hopes drying will take about 2 hours. This would mean the race would have to start around 4:45 p.m.

When will the 2024 Indy 500 start?

Runway drying efforts began at 2:42 p.m. and IMS expects drying efforts to take approximately two hours. The series says it is aiming for a green flag at 4:44, with the following schedule for its pre-race ceremonies:

• 3:30 p.m.: Cars begin heading towards the grid in reverse order
• 3:38 p.m.: Drivers begin filing into the one-sided room for driver introductions.
• 3:48 p.m.: Intros from Victory Podium drivers
• 4:10 p.m.: “America the Beautiful”
• 4:19 p.m.: ‘Taps’
• 4:20 p.m.: “God bless America”
• 4:23 p.m.: “National anthem”
• 4:35 p.m.: “Back home”
• 4:37 p.m.: Engine start command
• 4:44 p.m.: estimated green flag time

In his last update, at 2:30 p.m., Boles said the next band of storms could hit the central Indiana region around 8 p.m., which could make it more difficult for IMS and IndyCar to complete all 200 laps. A full race distance usually takes about three hours, but Boles said IMS would want to warn fans so they can avoid lightning during this next batch of storms if the surge appears to be more than just rain showers.

As long as the race hits the 101-lap mark, whatever action IndyCar completes Sunday afternoon and evening will constitute a full race. Sunset for Indianapolis on Sunday is expected to be at 9:03 p.m. IMS has no light.

Indy 500 Pre-Race Activities

Boles said race officials did everything they could to get military recognition, traditional chants and orders to start the engines.

Lifting the television blackout on the Indy 500

Boles said the local television blackout was lifted with the delayed start, for regional NBC affiliates and on Peacock.